How much is the suggested cost for editing service?
An appropriate place to begin the discussion is to begin through an analysis of the cost for editing suggested by two reputable proofreading organizations. The Society for Editors and Proofreaders (SFEP) as well as the Editorial Freelancers Association (EFA).
The SFEP proposes that proofreaders are charged at least PS24.30/hour (about $31.50/hour), that’s $11.45/1000 words. The EFA recommends that proofreaders pay between $30 and $35 per hour, which is $11.81/1000 words on average. (The calculations to calculate cost per 1000 words are based on EFA’s claim that a professional who proofreads is expected to be able with a rate of around 2750 words per hour.)
What is the average cost of proofreading?
A few organizations have suggested a specific price, that does not mean that proofreaders will charge the fee.
To determine whether the suggested rates reflect the amount a writer should anticipate to spend on for a proofreader, I looked on “affordable proofreading services” on Google. The top 10 ranked businesses are listed below, together with the lowest cost that each of them offers:
- Proofreading and editing service, USA – $5/1000 words
- The Write Proofreader $14.00/1000 words
- Magnum Proofreading $13.00/1000 words
- Cambridge Proofreading – $19.00/1000 words
- MadProofingSkills – $20.00/1000 words
- HyperGraphix Editing – $17.50/1000 words
- PaperBlazer — $20.00/1000 words
- Vappingo Vappingo $20.00/1000 words
- Portland Proof Portland Proof $7.00/1000 words
- Skylight Editorial – $7.00/1000 words
The list below shows that one business could cost two, more (or greater) times the amount that another charge. In addition, some proofreaders (not listed on the list) are charged over $20.00/1000 words. You are able to hire an editor on Upwork or Freelancer starting at $10.00/1000 words. The recommended rates do not apply to you.
However, based on the data available, we are able to conclude that a good proofreader should cost between $7.00/1000 words to $20.00/1000 words. It is also evident that it’s likely to be unwise to charge any higher than $12.00/1000 words.
Do you think the rate currently being charged is an appropriate price?
Based on the advice of SFEP and EFA recommend, and the fees that most proofreaders offer, proofreaders are likely to earn twice more than a freelance writer earns from their writing as well as their daily job. This means that a proofreader can be more effective than the author and is a clear indication that the standard rates for proofreading do not apply to everyone.
The average cost of a proofreader is geared towards the writer who is wealthy and has lots of money, ignoring those who are aspiring independent authors and work a day-to-day job, and making the most of any free time they can to pursue their dream. Independent authors are just as hard, and create writing similar to traditional authors; therefore, they are entitled to the same tools. I believe it’s unfair for new authors to be forced to spend more than $1000 for a corrected or published unfinished book with mistakes.
Does Paying More Get You More?
In a way, this saying “you get what you pay for” applies in the selection of an editor. An individual who is charging $1.00/1,000 words could be inexperienced or may not even be an English native speaker. It’s likely that they’re charging a small price because they do not have numerous (or many) regular clients as of yet. This makes it difficult to judge if they’re competent, as proofreaders are likely to be unable to spot some errors.
The rates of proofreaders are determined by factors other than experience and skill
If a proofreader charges an hourly rate at which they could earn an income, maybe $12.00/hour or something similar (which can translate into less than $4.00/1,000 words) They’ve probably established a stable list of customers that trust to conduct business regularly, which suggests they’re skilled. Beyond this, proofreader’s fee is more a reflection of things other than their skills and expertise.
A stay-at-home parent who uses proofreading to boost the income of their spouse is less pressure to bill an excessive amount than one who relies upon their proofreading earnings to cover their mortgage. Additionally, a person who is able to proofread 3000 words in a single hour can earn an equivalent amount of money per hour to those who are able to proofread 2000 words in an hour, and charge more per sentence.
Unfortunately, greed too is the cause that a proofreader may increase their fees so they are able to work less but still live a comfortable life, however, other proofreaders keep their prices at a low level to ensure that everyone can get the benefit of the services they provide.
What is the best way to improve one proofreader’s perform than the other?
Additionally, proofreaders are restricted in the type of modifications they are able to and cannot perform. So after a proofreader has been able to reliably produce documents without technical flaws, they have no room to improve.
An editor may suggest changes or modifications that are based on their experience and the style of editing that a different editor may not have thought of the proofreader has not been permitted to exhibit their own creativity (it is not a style option, for example, to decide that “recieve” should be spelled “receive”). When a piece of writing is completely free of technical mistakes, and adheres to the style guidelines that are appropriate the job of a proofreader has been completed.
A competent proofreader earning $25/hour can give an author an original document with no technical mistakes. A competent proofreader making $50/hour will be able to provide the author with an article that is free of technical mistakes.
How to Get the Best Value
It’s not a good idea to pay an unprofessional proofreader only to find out that you’ve paid the least amount because your proofreader did not do a great job or they ran through your file too quickly in order to boost their hourly rate. You also shouldn’t have to spend $2,000 on an item which you could get in the $500-$1,000 range.
Just like any purchase, it’s possible to get a bargain on a proofreader, if you’re prepared to conduct some study. If I were in search of someone to proofread, I’d consider who should hire in the same way as I’d go about purchasing an expensive shirt. These are the ways I’d go about it:
1) Choose a few proofreaders who could be worthwhile to hire
It’s like walking to a store for clothing and buying a few items that I believe are nice for me. I would not consider purchasing an item with a massive gap in it. The same is true for the hiring of a proofreader with poor content written on their website and a blog that’s not been maintained for an extended time, or another “holes.”
2) Free samples are available from proofreaders that appear to be skilled
An editor who does not offer free trials is similar to an apparel store without the fitting space. If I buy a dress without trying it on, and then be happy with the purchase, I’m less likely to regret it when I am sure it will fit perfectly before purchasing it. Similar to that, I would not recommend using an editor without obtaining the first sample.
3.) Eliminate proofreaders who provide non-satisfactory proofs
The proofreader that gives a sample that is not up to par similar to a garment that isn’t right for you or isn’t as appealing to me as I imagined it would. They can be returned to the rack.
4) Review the cost of other options
In ideal circumstances, I’d received some items that are free of mistakes. The proofreaders who provided their samples were those who sent me the three or four shirt designs I’m considering getting after having tried a couple on. If I decide that I liked both of them, and just need one that I like, I’ll definitely purchase which one I think is the most attractive bargain. I’d make the final choice on an editor similarly, from the top ones, I’d hire the one who costs the least.
For the sake of argument, the point is that you should not just select the lowest-cost proofreader you can and then trust them to perform a decent job. Nor would you choose to pay a proofreader 30 dollars per hour and think they’re experts when it comes to their work due to their high cost (even even if they’re great but you’ll end up paying more). A better option is to look for a number of skilled proofreaders and select the least expensive one among them.
